Purity

A seal pup at birth weighs about 15 pounds and is close to 24 inches long. It is innocent and clean. It has done nothing to hurt anyone. It is pure. In some cultures, the seal pup instead of a Lamb is what is used to help people understand what God is like.

What is purity? It’s in the Bible, “Who may climb the mountain of the Lord and enter where he lives? Who may stand before the Lord? Only those with pure hands and hearts, who do not practice dishonesty and lying” (Psalm 24:3-5, TLB). We are to be pure and clean in all we think, say, and do.

Does God expect young people to be pure? Yes. The Bible says, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”(1Timothy 4:12, NIV).

So how can I keep my heart pure? It’s in the Bible, “Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV). Satan will try to get you to think impure thoughts followed by impure actions. That is why it is so important to recognize good and bad thoughts and where they come from. Make those thoughts obedient to Christ through prayer. Ask Him to live in your mind and help you to have pure thoughts.

What is God’s checklist when you are considering a movie, video, book—or any activity? The Bible says, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8, NIV). God can keep your heart and mind pure when you choose to be careful about what you read or watch on TV, videos, movies, computers, and games.

What kind of friends should you have in order to help you remain pure? The Bible says, “Run from anything that gives you the evil thoughts that young men often have, but stay close to anything that makes you want to do right. Have faith and love, and enjoy the companionship of those who love the Lord and have pure hearts” (2 Timothy 2:22, TLB). It’s important to have friends who love the Lord and have pure hearts. They can help you have a pure heart too.

When you stay close to Jesus, impure thoughts and actions will begin to change. The Bible says, “But we Christians . . .  can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him” (2 Corinthians 3:18, TLB). It is true that by beholding we become changed. What we watch and think about is what we will become like. Let’s keep our eyes fastened upon Jesus and become like Him!

God has blessings for those whose hearts are pure. The Bible says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8, NIV). Here is another blessing: “A person who is pure of heart sees goodness and purity in everything; but a person whose own heart is evil and untrusting finds evil in everything, for his dirty mind and rebellious heart color all he sees and hears” (Titus 1:15, TLB). Purity of heart will help us see the good things in life.

Confess your impure thoughts and actions to God and ask Him to forgive you. The Bible says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NIV). Whatever our sin, Jesus has promised to forgive us and cleanse us.